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Austin sed hard and I watched his Adaed dove on his throat

Ice shards ran in ainst ht fros, and wrapped his arh they were his protection His eyes were firround as he murht"

"Austin…" I tried to say so, but his aura was like a brick wall He clearly didn’t want my sympathy He was too proud for that

Austin stared down at the ground, lost in his thoughts "Some doctor in a white coat just pulled me away from my mamma’s bedside, took ot onna live to see me make the NFL"

Tears filled o back up there I can’tin bed, trying to be strong, trying to throw on a sone" Austin then looked up at me, as if I had all the answers, as if I knehat to say

"How a for Mamma, pass school, ace football, fk, deal withwith your mamma?" I asked cautiously I wasn’t sure he’d offer up that piece of information

"ALS," he replied, but my blank face ’s Motor neuron disease, Lexi Her nerves are fked She can’t really walk anymore, can barely talk Soon she won’t be able to lift her arms Then finally, she won’t be able to s But you wanna knohat the real kicker of all this shit is?"

I closed my eyes at the devastation in his voice

"That her mind isn’t affected Not one bit Mentally, she’s exactly the sa to talk but being unable toto dance but unable to lift her feet She’s in a prison, a fkin’ prison of her own liotta just stand by and watch it Fuckin’ A, don’t you think?"

Lifting to ainst the bench Austin’s hand flattened on the ground I had no words of co around Austin’s in support I caught his head e step for ht that Austin Carillo would be aidingsuch a fkin’ pussy on you just now You keep seeingthe aardness

My h and shake my head "It’s fine, and you weren’t a… fuckin’… pussy, as you put it"

Austin smiled and my heart did a full flip in my chest I nearly presseda heart attack The sensation shockedlike it before…that beautiful s secrets, I suppose it don’t matter too much"

"Austin?" I said nervously

"Mhtly to face ers remained attached "What about him?"

"He’s my daddy"

Austin’s jaw clenched and he looked away "Fuck"

"He won’t say anything Can’t say anything I saw you run from the family roo my daddy’s professionalism

Austin turned to me at that and his eyes narrowed "And how did Daddy take it when you told hi, I went to speak, but I quickly shut ood, huh?"

A giggle came out of my throat, and I covered arden, but, strangely, it was easy to laugh with Austin

Austin huffed out a laugh too "Don’t sweat it I get that an ex-Heighter ain’t gonna be top of the friend approval list"